Thursday, February 16, 2012

Why This Stupid Convention Process Makes Me Crazy

Or alternatively titled "We are Our Own Worst Enemy"

A whole situation cropped up yesterday that caught me totally off-guard. I gave my opinion about strategy for our upcoming Mass Precinct Meeting here in Georgia and ended up in a three-way conference call defending myself against two people who've never even been to one before. In the end I basically said, "You're awesome. Do whatever you want. I'm good," because, honestly, who wants to handle the administrative side of the campaign like those guys are doing at the state and local level? Been there. Done that. Hard and thankless work.

The disagreement came about because I know Ron Paul supporters are terrible at showing up at the GOP convention stuff. It's intimidating and stressful and boring for outsiders, but Ron Paul supporters feel guilty admitting that. So folks sign up in denial, telling themselves that they'll attend. Or worse, have others sign them up, which is fair game according to GOP rules and a widely encouraged practice. But I think it's delusional to try to help put people into the convention process if they can't be counted on to just show up. It also wrenches the convention process and is disingenuous. These are my opinions based on three years of participation in past conventions and my service as an officer at the county and district level with the Georgia GOP. When I gave these opinions, though, I had no intention of trying to force anyone's hand over them.

I realize that I rub some people the wrong way, but I don't know why. I'm no threat to anyone, Nothing I'm doing is about trying to make anyone else look bad or stupid. I'm all about trying to help people be the best they can be. I know in certain people's cases there is an 'oil and water' factor at play and I'm better off trying not to mix it up.

For anybody that wonders I don't care about pissing contests. I don't care about stealing your thunder. I don't need any special recognition and I'm not trying to get any. Some people won't relate to that, but it's absolutely true. If I'm good at what I do praise will find me all on its own. If you're good at what YOU do you shouldn't be scared of my criticism, or anyone else's.

4 comments:

As a fellow Paul supporter and activist, your thoughts and concerns are valid and I appricate everything you are doing for the cause of liberty in Georgia. I apoligize if you felt like you were put on the defensive on our phone call; I was genuinely interested in hearing and listening to what you had to say on the subject.

Well, after seeing some of the BULLS*** shenanigans the establishment is doing against OUR people today, your concerns ring a little hollow. We need to use every rule they have, FOR us and AGAINST them. Carl von Clausewitz famously wrote, "War is... nothing but the continuation of politics by other means." David Horowitz famously re-wrote that in his pamphlet called The Art of Political War: "Politics is war conducted by other means. In political warfare you do not fight just to prevail in an argument, but to destroy the enemy's fighting ability... In political wars, the aggressor usually prevails."

Again, this is a difference of opinion about strategy and tactics. Some counties are more oppressive and reluctant to change than others. I don't have a problem with folks in other counties adopting measures to help further their own efforts. It's hard for me to argue that I'm being denied any opportunities here in my county or district when I hold an officer position in both.